I like to read this blog by a cardiologist. I don't buy everything he posts, but a lot of it relates to South Beach stuff. Thought his last few entries were interesting.

http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/

That's interesting, Anne. Thanks for sharing!

Very interesting! I have also noticed a strange sadness when I have started Phase 1 both times. I am a big wheat eater when I'm eating carbs - bread etc. I may have to subscribe to this guy's blog.

Great link! He's preaching hard, and I hope people are listening. I have been eating priml/paleo (I put both because I definitely eased into it but am eating stricter paleo now) for nine months. Many people I know who do the same experienced pretty dreadful "carb flu" after giving up wheat -- so I guess it's not so much carb flu but wheat flu, and it can be rough!

I was fortunate that I had already significantly cut down on breads, pasta, cereals, tortillas, baked goods, etc. the past couple years, and I didn't really experience the withdrawal. All of those foods just made me fat and bloated no matter how low they were in calories or how high in fiber -- I just didn't know why. But I think for those who do experience the withdrawal symptoms from wheat, it's extremely real and very difficult, and many people quit before they get through it. I mean, geesh, he equates it to heroin addiction -- how brutal!! If this applies to you, stick with it, and it will get better!!!

I also love the post below where he gives his top 5 recommendations for staving off heart disease with the #1 spot going to removing gluten. The science backing up these claims is becoming more and more mainstream (and less wacky seeming ---"but whole grains are good for you!"), and I believe the pendulum will swing in the next 5-10 years in the medical community- it already is.

Very interesting early morning read- thanks for the link, Murphmitch!

Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

Very interesting!! Certainly lends a scientific bent to the SBD flu

I have NEVER heard of wheat being bad! I am definitely interested in trying this out though. The one thing I was confused about was that he said to get plenty of "healthy whole grains"...I guess my question is what is that if it isn't whole wheat?

Check out what he says about Oatmeal
http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/20...od-or-bad.html

quinoa, barley, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, brown rice, oats (though I didn't read what he said about them)
I know there's more I'm forgetting.

Interesting! I do just fine with WW and other grains, but a bowl of oatmeal(plain) sends me on a quest to eat everything I can find. Others eat it without any negative effects-we're all so different.

My husband insists on eating oatmeal every day with lots of brown sugar on it. Makes me want to borrow his sister's glucometer to check his blood sugar.

This made me think of some of our SB breakfasts:

Better choices: eggs, ground flaxseed as a hot cereal, cheese (the one dairy product that does not excessively trigger insulin), raw nuts, salads, leftovers from last evening's dinner.

+1!!!

I'm going to try my morning breakfast bowl (oats, chia, pumpkin or applesauce, & Greek yogurt) with quinoa instead. Any excuse to eat quinoa makes me happy

Sounds scrumptious Cyndi!

Thank you for posting this. I think more awareness is required around the subject of wheat.

The last couple of months I had begun to realise how bad wheat was for me. It kicks in my cravings (even worse than sugar), it makes me bloated, and it gives me horrible GI issues. It also seems to affect my mood in a negative way.
I've been tweaking my eating, and I'm doing a kind of SBD P1.5 on an ongoing basis. I can tolerate potatoes, in small amounts and certainly not every day, and quinoa, and brown rice. But wheat (and oats too) I can't .
Since I got rid of wheat, it's been far easier for me to stick to plan, I have very few cravings except for at PMS time, and I feel tons healthier.
It's clear to me now why I've struggled so much to stay on P2 - I always allowed some wheat, a SB friendly bread, or some ww pasta and it was completley sabotaging my eating plan.
I can't eat oatmeal either.